An overwhelming aura of devotion has enveloped sacred Bada Danda in Puri as Lord Jagannath, along with His divine siblings, embark on the much-anticipated journey to Gundicha Temple
Bhaskar Parichha
Foreigners who witnessed the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha, over the centuries have often described it with a mix of awe, curiosity, and sometimes misunderstanding, shaped by their cultural lenses. Their accounts, drawn from travelogues, colonial records and missionary reports, provide a glimpse into how this massive Hindu festival was perceived by outsiders.
Some of the earliest foreign references to India come from Muslim travelers and historians who visited the country. For instance, Al-Biruni (11th century) described Hindu festivals with chariots, though not specifically the Rath Yatra. Later, Mughal-era accounts indirectly mention grand processions in Puri, noting the scale and devotion but often framing them as exotic or idolatrous due to religious differences.
Early European visitors, such as Portuguese and Dutch traders in the 16th–17th centuries, were struck by the sheer scale of the Rath Yatra. They described massive wooden chariots, throngs of devotees, and the intense fervor of the crowd. Some accounts, like those from the 17th-century French traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, marveled at the engineering of the chariots but misinterpreted the rituals as chaotic or superstitious.
British administrators and missionaries, such as Charles Grome (1780s) and James Tod, documented the Rath Yatra in detail. They noted the enormous crowds (often numbering in the lakhs), the elaborately decorated chariots, and the devotion of pilgrims pulling the ropes.
(The author is a senior journalist and columnist. Views expressed are personal.)
